Maps of Music

Divine Intervention (1994)

Where the lyrics of Divine Intervention take you, and where it was really made.

The label argued over how to sell this album's explicit content, so the band put out a live record first to buy time.

Key places

Recorded at Ocean Way (1994)

Recording site Ocean Way Recording — Discogs lists Ocean Way Recording among the studios where the album was recorded. The pin uses the studio's listed coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Sound City (1994)

Recording site Sound City Studios — Discogs lists Sound City Studios as another recording location for the album. The pin shows the listed Van Nuys location. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Mixed at Record Plant (1994)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — Discogs lists The Record Plant in Los Angeles as the place where the album was mixed. The pin shows the listed location. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Divine Intervention: sixth studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer
• Released September 27, 1994, by American Recordings
• Peaked at number 8 on the US Billboard 200 and number 15 on the UK Albums Chart
• Certified gold in the United States and Canada
• Followed by the EP Serenity in Murder

Background

• Released nearly four years after Seasons in the Abyss (1990)
• Vocalist Tom Araya said more time went into production than on the band's previous albums
• The label argued over how to market the album's explicitness, so the band released the live album Decade of Aggression to buy time
• First Slayer album with drummer Paul Bostaph, replacing Dave Lombardo, who left in 1992
• Songs drew on television and on subjects including Rush Limbaugh, Reinhard Heydrich, and Jeffrey Dahmer

Recording

• Recorded at Ocean Way Recording and Sound City Studios, Los Angeles area
• Mixed at The Record Plant, Los Angeles
• Araya said the band entered the studio with more written material than before
• Three of the seven songs were completed outside the studio
• Kerry King expressed disapproval of the final mix

Cover

• Painted and designed by Wes Benscoter
• Re-imaging of the band's early "Slayergram" graphic

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in 1981 in Huntington Park, California by Kerry King, Jeff Hanneman, Dave Lombardo and Tom Araya.
• Started by playing covers of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Venom at parties and clubs in Southern California.
• Signed with Metal Blade Records after the song "Aggressive Perfector" appeared on Metal Massacre III.

Members

• Current lineup: Kerry King, Tom Araya, Paul Bostaph and Gary Holt; Holt joined in 2011 and became permanent after Hanneman's death in 2013.
• Former members include drummers Dave Lombardo (left three times) and Jon Dette.

Career

• Released twelve studio albums, including Reign in Blood (1986), widely described as one of the most influential thrash metal albums.
• Christ Illusion (2006) won a Grammy for "Eyes of the Insane", the band's first Grammy-related recognition.
• Disbanded in 2019 after a farewell tour and reunited for sporadic shows from 2024.
• Considered one of the "Big Four" of thrash metal alongside Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Critics gave the album mixed reviews
• AllMusic's Alex Henderson said the band refused to sound like anyone but Slayer
• Henderson praised Bostaph as a positive, energizing influence on the band
• Henderson said the album focuses on the violently repressive nature of governments
• By the release date, Araya considered it the band's best album
• Both the mixing and mastering were criticized
• Kerry King said the band should have paid more attention to the mix
• Araya said it is the one, if any, he would not mind re-mastering

Reappraisal

• Rolling Stone considered it the band's most successful album as of 2001
• The album is less accessible than its predecessor Seasons in the Abyss

Records

• Sold 93,000 copies in its first week
• Sold over 496,000 copies in the US by 2009
• Peaked at number 8 on the US Billboard 200 and number 15 on the UK Albums Chart
• Certified gold in the United States and Canada

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Kevin Kirk of the Heavy Metal Shop ordered 1,000 copies and sold every last album in a matter of weeks
• The album was banned in Germany in 1998 because of its lyrics
• The song "213" was named after serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer's old apartment number
• The album sleeve features the backronym Satan Laughs As You Eternally Rot for the second time
• Wes Benscoter later painted the covers for the Slayer releases Undisputed Attitude and Live Intrusion

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

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